An Exceptional Twist by Kimi Flores Page B

wasn’t getting his way.
    She was noticing Stefen
could go from zero to asshole in a very short amount of time. He
could have such a shitty attitude. Why am
I so attracted to him again? Visions of
him in those board shorts filled her mind, and she slapped her
forehead again.
    Oh, yeah. That’s why.

     
    Leah pulled into the parking lot and found
Stefen leaning against his cousin's Range Rover. Still in the car,
she allowed her eyes to linger over his low dark jeans, red
t-shirt, and black combat boots. She’d never been so drawn to a guy
before. Sure she had a high school crush that she occasionally
wondered about, and the guy in college that broke her heart, but
this was different.
    If their circumstances were different, she
could see herself spending whatever time was needed to actually
find out what Stefen hid under that mask.
    She needed to be mindful, though. Remind
herself every second what kind of guy he was, or she’d do something
stupid. There was no way she could trust him with her heart.
    Stefen opened the door as
she was reaching for the handle .
    How did he get over here so fast?
    Grinning, she fluttered her eyelashes and
thanked him. “What a gentleman,” Leah flirted, swinging her sock
covered feet out the driver’s side door. Before getting out, she
leaned back and stretched behind the passenger seat.
    “Where are your shoes?” Stefen scoffed at
her fuzzy comfy socks.
    Shrugging, she wiggled her toes and wrinkled
her nose. “I don't like to drive with them, especially heels or
boots. I feel like I have more control of the car this way.”
    What smartass comment is he going to say
about that?
    He only grinned warmly. “Bri does that, too.
I've never understood it, but now I can tell her she isn't the only
one.” He squatted down and held onto her feet.
    Taken aback, she jumped before picking up
her brown riding boots from the backseat floor. She pulled one of
her feet away as Stefen picked up one of the boots.
    “Let me help you.” There was that sexy smirk
again.
    He placed her foot on his thigh to
momentarily grip the boot with both hands. Holding onto her calf,
he slowly led her foot inside of the boot, not breaking eye
contact.
    She felt her chest rise up and down
erratically, mortified that he’d noticed. If she had any doubts,
they disappeared when he laughed quietly and led her other foot
into the second boot.
    Lifting her hand, he pulled her out of the
car into an embrace. Now he could feel her crazy heartbeat.
    Ugh!
    Just as he had done a few nights before,
Stefen kissed her on the forehead. His lips were so soft. Too soft.
No man’s lips were this soft. Leah had already fantasized countless
times what it would be like to kiss them.
    “So?” Stefen gave her an inquiring look.
    “Huh? So what?” Did he ask me something?
    She’d been so busy dreaming about his lips
that she missed his question.
    He snickered with a wicked look in his eyes,
rubbing his palms together. “I asked if you’re ready to do
this.”
    “Oh.” Letting out a nervous laugh. “Yeah,
let me just put my things in the back.”
    Leaning in for her purse, Leah felt the heat
of his gaze right on her butt. She snapped her head over her
shoulder, self-conscious. Sure enough, Stefen's eyes were planted
right on her ass.
    “Seriously, Stefen?” She glared, secretly
loving his attention. It made her feel desirable, but she wasn’t
about to let him know that. The last thing she wanted to do was to
encourage his behavior. There was no way she could fight it if he
came on even stronger.
    He shrugged unapologetically. “Sorry, I'm a
guy. It's an automatic response when a stunning girl bends over in
front of me.”
    He has no
shame .
    Shaking her head, she strolled to the back
of her van, popping open the back hatch with her remote control. He
caught on and helped her open a compartment to put her purse in.
Fishing through the bag, she pulled out a small wallet and her cell
phone, tucking them into her too tight front